Essay | Cry, the Beloved Country: A Character Analysis of Steven Kumalo

Through out Cry, the Beloved Country, the main character, Steven Kumalo, is forever changed by his experiences in the great city of Johannesburg. While in the city he feels the effects of numerous positive and negative occurrences, whether they concern him or do not. He is robbed, disowned by his brother, spiritually uplifted, and feels forsaken, all in a short matter of time. Kumalo leaves his tribal home of Ndotsheni an innocent old priest and returns a man exposed to the coarse cruelties of modern life.

When Kumalo leaves for Johannesburg, he has no idea of what the city shall hold for him, besides all the horrible stories he as heard. Kumalo even mentions to his wife while preparing to leave, "When people go to Johannesburg, they do not come back"(Paton 38). He takes along with him all of the money that he had been saving, of which a portion...
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